Alcohol labelling requirements

Alcoholic drinks have long been exempt from ingredient
and nutrition labelling. However, it is possible to provide
this information voluntarily, in line with FIC (Food
Information for Consumers regulation) rules. Currently
alcoholic drinks may declare energy only or have a full
declaration.

Following a request from the European Commission in
2017, the alcoholic drinks sector submitted proposals in
March 2018 for their self-regulatory code for providing
ingredient and nutrition information. The proposals, which
are currently being assessed by the Commission, establish
guiding principles that will apply to all sectors, while each of
the beer, wine, spirits and cider sectors have published
specific annexes on how they will provide this information.

The guiding principles consist of commitments to:

Provide nutrition and ingredient information “in a
meaningful way”

Provide nutrition and ingredient information off and/or
on label

When provided off label, ensuring that the information
is easily accessible (e.g. weblink or QR code)

Possibly develop “comprehensive modern information
systems”

Additionally:

Food businesses decide how to display the information

While abiding to EU and national regulation, additional
information will be provided according to sector
annexes

The alcoholic drink sectors will report on
implementation in 2021 (after two years)

International nutrition labelling
requirements

Markets outside the European Union have different rules
on nutrition labelling for alcoholic beverages. For example, in the United States, nutrition labelling is mandatory for
ciders and wines below 7% alcohol by volume, as such
products must follow prescriptive rules set by the Food
and Drug Administration. Most alcoholic beverages in the
United States fall under the jurisdiction of the Alcohol
and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, who have provided
information (in Ruling 2013-2) on how the growing
number of businesses wishing to voluntarily provide such
information may give information on calorie,
carbohydrate, protein and fat content in their alcoholic
beverages (such as those doing so under the Beer
Institute pledge to provide such information by end of
2020). Increasing numbers of brewers in Australia are
also providing nutrition information voluntarily, declared
on a per serving and per 100ml basis. Russian regulations
require the declaration of any nutrients that contribute
greater than 2% of the reference daily intake.